


The Art of Family Preservation

by AgentInfinity



Series: Porn!AU [2]
Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Schönberg/Boublil
Genre: Depression, Gen, M/M, Mentions of Suicide, Mentions of child neglect, Modern AU, mentions of child abuse, mentions of drug abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-23
Updated: 2014-03-23
Packaged: 2018-01-16 18:55:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1358263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentInfinity/pseuds/AgentInfinity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Enjolras finds out more about Grantaire's past and his family.  Grantaire just wants to make sure his niece is alright.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Art of Family Preservation

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was an unexpected story in my porn!au 'verse. It could've been just any modern au, but I still had these two characters clear in my mind. This is basically a quick, cathartic, fix-it one shot for something that happened in my family recently. It's been stuck in my head, and this is what happened. It's not very happy, but it does explain a bit of what made Grantaire the way he is.
> 
> Any mistakes are mine, and anything or anyone recognizable is not mine.

When Enjolras arrives at Grantaire’s apartment for their first night together in a long time where neither of them has any prior engagements or early morning appointments, he is met with a flurry of activity he wasn’t expecting. Grantaire is yelling into his phone while he hops around trying to pull on socks and look for his wallet and keys at the same time.

“Grantaire, what’s going on?” Enjolras is holding a bag of takeout and a stack of movies, and he has absolutely no idea what to do.

“Yes, yes, I can get there, it’s not that far from where I am. Just, just, hold on a second.” Frazzled, he shoots an apologetic look at Enjolras as he pulls on one of his shoes. “Hey E, I will explain in a moment.” He tries to smile, but it’s strained and worried. “No, not you officer. Now, what’s the address?” He pauses with one shoe on over a bare foot and one sock on, but with the gray heel on top of his foot. He hurriedly scribbles down what Enjolras guesses is an address on his forearm with one of his Copic markers and promptly drops it in the floor capless and forgotten as soon as he’s done.

“Yes, I will be there in about an hour and a half. Please, please don’t put her with a bunch of strangers after what she’s been through.” The person on the other end of the phone, an officer, Enjolras supposes, says something else and then Grantaire hangs up and slides the phone in his back pocket.

“Grantaire, you need to calm down and put your socks and shoes on correctly if we’re going to be driving somewhere.” Grantaire looks at Enjolras for a long minute and then slumps into the floor, head in his hands.

“I need to borrow someone’s car. I can’t, jesus fucking christ, E, I need a car and a metric fuckton of Xanax. Or a drink. I could use a drink.” Enjolras puts the food and movies on the coffee table and sits in the floor opposite his boyfriend. He takes the shoe off that Grantaire’s managed to slip on without a sock and pulls the sock Grantaire’s clutching in his left hand free. He puts it on for Grantaire and then slides his shoe back on.

“What’s going on?”

“My sister OD’d on heroin and my niece found her. The cops can only hold her for so long before they have to put her in foster care. Her father’s parents are on a cruise, and they can’t get back until Monday, so they called me.” Grantaire looks up just as Enjolras is fixing his other sock. “She’s only five years old, E. She’s fucking five.”

Enjolras processes this. He doesn’t know very much about Grantaire’s family, but Enjolras is starting to understand why it’s a sore spot for him. He nods and gets up.

“Well, let’s go get her. You finish getting ready, and I’ll call Combeferre, and see if we can borrow his car.” Teary eyes gaze up at him with relief for a few seconds before Grantaire snaps back to action. Enjolras dials.

“Didn’t I just see you thirty minutes ago? You already need someone to settle an argument?” Combeferre sounds amused.

“No, we need to borrow your car for the night, if you can part with it. Grantaire has a family emergency.” Combeferre hums thoughfully.

“I didn’t even know he still talked to his family.”

“I didn’t either. But, it’s kind of a time-sensitive thing, so…”

“Of course, I’ll take the bus to work tomorrow. Let me know if you need anything else.” Enjolras has a spare key since they basically share the car anyway. He turns around to find Grantaire fidgeting by the open door. Enjolras presses his lips softly to Grantaire’s and slides his fingers through wild, dark curls.

“It’ll be alright. We’ll get everything figured out.” He offers up a tentative smile.

“Sure, E. I know,” Grantaire says quietly and unbelievingly. “Let’s go.” He charges into the hallway and down the steps before Enjolras can get the door closed, not looking back.

Enjolras follows.

***

The bus ride to get Combeferre’s car is silent. Enjolras holds Grantaire’s hand, but Grantaire barely squeezes back. When they get to the car, Enjolras slides into the driver’s seat and waits. Grantaire shoots him an impatient look, brows up and eyes widened.

“What are you waiting for?”

“You to tell me where to go,” Enjolras replies calmly. He doesn’t know the particulars, but he knows Grantaire is about to come apart at the seams. It’s when Grantaire gets quiet that things go downhill. Enjolras still remembers what he was like before his sobriety won out. All would be well until he reached a certain point of drunkenness, but once past that point, he would get quiet. And then he’d explode.

“Oh. Head north on I-77. We’re going to Huntington.” Enjolras pulls out from the curb and follows Grantaire’s instructions. As he drives, he realizes just how much he doesn’t know about Grantaire’s past. He knows a few things, of course. He knows Grantaire’s mother died when he was a child, and that he and his father haven’t seen or spoken to each other since Grantaire left home at seventeen. He knew Grantaire had a sister, but until tonight, he hadn’t known any particulars. Once every couple of months, Grantaire disappears for a day ‘up north to check on things.’ Enjolras doesn’t know what that means, and Grantaire is purposefully evasive about it. He briefly wondered about it after they started dating, but Eponine threatened him with bodily harm if he pushed Grantaire on it, so he’d left it.

Eponine and Grantaire are like siblings, and when acting on the other’s behalf, they are quite terrifying.

Now, though, the puzzle pieces are starting to connect in Enjolras’ mind.

The first thirty minutes of the trip are completely silent save for Grantaire’s fingers drumming against the door handle and the occasional tick-tock of the car’s indicator.

Enjolras can do many things for Grantaire. He can rein in his angry tirades when Grantaire isn’t in the mood to argue or listen. He can adjust his schedule to make more time for the two to spend together. He can bring Grantaire to a tearful and pain-filled release when he gets too far into his own brain.

But, it is really hard for him to sit in silence while he waits for Grantaire to tell him more of what’s going on.

He makes it to forty-two minutes before he cannot hold his tongue any longer.

“So, do you wanna tell me what exactly is going on?” he asks, softly.

“I did.” Grantaire’s hands are trembling. He tries to light a cigarette, but his fingers won’t cooperate long enough to spark the lighter. Enjolras reaches a hand over and flicks the lighter for him. The flame brightens the darkness of the car’s interior to highlight the tension in Grantaire’s face.

“I meant more. Like, I didn’t even know you talked to your sister.” Grantaire blows smoke out the window and squeezes his eyes shut, the thumb and forefinger of his free hand pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I don’t. I go up there to check on Annabelle and take her to her heart doctor. Lori’s given up on staying off H, and Belle’s dad OD’d when she was two. She found her dad’s body then too.”

“Lori isn’t dead, is she?” Grantaire scoffs.

“No, unfortunately.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“I wish I did. Everyone in my family is toxic. Even my mother stood by and just let Dad…” Grantaire trails off and takes a very long drag. “She killed herself to get away from him. I would’ve too if not for my art teacher making me believe I could get into college and then forcing me to do it.”

“Jesus, Grantaire. I had no idea.” Grantaire goes still, stops shaking and looks at Enjolras.

“Yeah, that’s how I fucking wanted it. I’m toxic too. I’ve fucked up every single person I’ve ever been with!” Grantaire says, voice growing in volume until he’s shouting, gesturing with his hands and dropping ash onto the floor mats. “I never wanted you to know this side of me. It’s bad enough you were around when I was a useless drunk fool. I come from bad stock, Enjolras. It’s only a matter of time before you realize it.” He visibly deflates and takes one last long drag before pitching the butt out the window.

“I just, god, I don’t want to think about my family or my past or any of it. I got away, but it always follows me. The stain of who I really am always follows me.”

“Grantaire—,” Enjolras starts.

“But, Belle. Oh, she’s perfect, E. She’s funny and beautiful and way smarter than any of the adults who neglect to take care of her. She deserves so much better than this.”

“Yes, but it isn’t your fault, Grantaire.”

“You know why she has to go to the fucking heart doctor? Because her junkie mom couldn’t stay clean while she was pregnant. She was born with a hole in her heart and had to have four surgeries before she could even go home.” Enjolras takes a moment to swallow down his horror.

“Why did they let her mom keep her?”

“Because her dad was clean at the time. And then when her dad died, Lori had gotten clean. Again.” Grantaire runs his hand through his already wild hair and sighs. “Everyone has failed her. Her parents, the system.” He drops his voice to a whisper. “Me.”

“No, Grantaire. No. You have overcome so much to be the good and kind person you are today. If anything, you gave her the love it sounds like she sorely needed.” He takes a breath and tries to stop strangling the steering wheel. “I had no idea you went through so much.”

“Yeah, well. No one does really. Except Ep. She had the displeasure of being there.”

“I love you,” Enjolras says, because he doesn’t know what else to say. He’s gained the insight he’d been wanting into Grantaire, but now he’s not sure what to do with it.

“I don’t want you to pity me, Enjolras. Not you.” Tears finally fall down Grantaire’s cheeks.

“I don’t pity you. I love you and you’re hurting and I can’t do anything but be here.”

Grantaire goes silent for a while, resting his head against the window. When he speaks again, he’s calmer, but so, so weary.

“Take exit 42 and turn right.” Enjolras obeys.

***

They reach the Huntington Police Station two hours after Enjolras had arrived at Grantaire’s apartment. Grantaire’s out of the car before Enjolras can put the car in park. He jogs after his boyfriend to catch up.

The officer at the front desk greets them warily.

“Can I help you?”

“I’m here for Annabelle Harris. I’m her uncle.” The officer raises an eyebrow at him and frowns. Enjolras looks at Grantaire and sees that he’s pale and wild-eyed. His hair is in even more disarray than normal. Enjolras clears his throat and steps forward.

“We rushed here right after we were notified and are very worried about Annabelle. We just want to make sure she’s okay.” The officer stares him down for a moment and then nods.

“I.D. please.” Grantaire fumbles with his wallet for a second before handing it over. The officer inspects it closely and hands it back.

“This way.” The officer leads them down a hallway and into what seems to be a lounge. A little girl is seated with her back to the door and a female detective is sitting across from her. They’re playing tic-tac-toe.

Grantaire lets out a relieved sigh and plasters an amused smile onto his face.

“So, are you winning, Belle?” The little dark-haired girl turns around and breaks into a huge, gap-toothed grin.

“Uncle R!” She runs to him and jumps into his arms. They hug for a long minute and then he adjusts her so she’s sitting on his hip.

“How’re you doing, kid?”

“I’m okay, I guess. It took you _fooooreveeeer_ to get here. I had two sammiches.” Annabelle is utterly adorable. Enjolras isn’t much for children. He doesn’t know what to do with them or how to talk to them, but even he can’t deny that the girl is one of the cutest kids he’s ever seen. She has a dusting of freckles across her nose, a few missing teeth and dimples. And she’s looking at Grantaire like he’s God.

Grantaire’s looking at her the exact same way. Enjolras ignores the urge to make an ‘aww’ noise at them.

“ _Two_ sammiches? Wow. I guess you don’t want any ice cream, then.”

“Well, they were little sammiches.” Then she notices Enjolras. “Who’re you?”

“I’m Enjolras.”

“Anjo, Jolrahs…Anjolas.” She crinkles her nose. “Your name is hard. Do you have another one?”

“Just call him E, honey.”

“Okay. Hi, E. Are you Uncle R’s boyfriend?”

“Um, yes.” She thinks for a moment and then nods.

“Uncle R told me ‘bout you. He said you were really pretty.” Enjolras looks at Grantaire and blushes.

“Do you agree with me, little B?” Grantaire asks her.

“Yeah. I like his hair. Can I braid it?”

“Uhh,” Enjolras says, looking to Grantaire for help. He’s already exhausted all the talking-to-children skills he has.

“Maybe later, honey.” Grantaire turns to the detective still seated at the table. “So, can we go? I wanna get her settled in before it gets too late.”

“There are just a few forms you have to sign first.” She stands and grabs a formidable stack of forms. “There’s a number here you need to give to Mr. and Mrs. Harris to call when they pick her up.” A card is tucked in Grantaire’s shirt pocket as he is holding a child unwilling to be put down and signing forms with his free hand. “I’ve been told that’s on Monday?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Grantaire has turned on his charm and manners in order to move this along. Now that he’s actually here and has Belle in his arms, he’s calmed down considerably.

“Okay, just let me get a copy of your I.D., and you can go.” The detective takes his I.D. and leaves the room. Annabelle has her head rested against Grantaire’s shoulder and is staring Enjolras down.

“What is it?”

“You’d better be nice to Uncle R or I’ll poke your eyes out.” It somehow sounded much more threatening when coming from the mouth of a five-year-old.

“Duly noted, Miss Annabelle.” She nods at him and snuggles her face into Grantaire’s neck, sighing. “Are we going back home?” Grantaire shoots Enjolras a look that says, ‘I have no clue what the fuck I’m supposed to do or say here.’ Unfortunately, Enjolras has even less of a clue. He shrugs. Grantaire rolls his eyes.

“No, you’re gonna come stay with me for a few days.”

“Cool! Can we go back and get Bunny first?”

“Of course, sweetheart. We’ll pack you a bag.” 

***

Enjolras follows Grantaire’s directions back to Annabelle’s house. They all three go in and Enjolras has to fight the urge to gasp. The porch is falling in on itself, the floor in the entryway has dangerous holes in it, and the steps going up to the second floor are tilting dangerously.

Grantaire carries Annabelle upstairs, making a very deliberate path up the steps, so Enjolras follows him. The last thing they need tonight is for Enjolras to fall through a rotten step.

Annabelle’s room is purple with a large mural of a castle rising from a mountain range in the misty distance. Enjolras has a feeling he knows who painted it.

“Where’s your backpack, B?” Annabelle sleepily points to the floor by her tiny bed. Enjolras leans down and grabs it, young Simba in mid-pounce on the front of bag. Grantaire uses his free hand to pick some clothes out of some of the dresser drawers. This room is in better shape than what Enjolras saw of the rest of the house. It’s not great, but it definitely isn’t falling apart.

“Where’s Bunny?”

“Under the covers.” Enjolras finishes shoving the clothing Grantaire’s handed him into the backpack and flips back the blankets on the bed, expecting to find a stuffed rabbit, but instead finding a stuffed roaring lion. He holds it up.

“This?” Grantaire gives him a wry smile and holds his hand out for it.

“Yeah, Enjolras, meet Bunny.” Enjolras hands it over, and Annabelle immediately snatches it up. She hugs it close to her chest and snuggles in against Grantaire again. Enjolras expected her to be terrified and crying or something, but so far she’s been very calm despite the night she’s had.

Now, though, he can see how her hands clutch tightly at the lion and the wrinkled spots in Grantaire’s shirt where she must have been holding onto him in the same manner.

Enjolras’ heart breaks a little for this child. He can’t help but wonder if Grantaire had anyone when he was a child like Annabelle has him.

All signs point to probably not.

“Do you need anything else?” Grantaire asks softly. The little girl’s gone quiet with a little furrow between her brows.

“Is Mommy okay?”

“Yeah, honey. Mommy’s just fine.” Grantaire rubs her back comfortingly and kisses her on the forehead. “Do you want to take anything else with us?”

“No. I’m okay.” She yawns and rubs at her eyes.

“Alright. C’mon little B. Let’s go.” Grantaire carries her back down the steps. Enjolras follows with the Simba bag.

***

Fifteen minutes into the ride sees Annabelle asleep in the back with her head rested atop her backpack. Grantaire had found a blanket in Combeferre’s trunk and covered her up. It’s been an hour when Grantaire finally speaks.

“She’s not gonna want to go with her grandparents on Monday. She’s only met them twice that she’ll remember. Once when her dad died and they were denied custody and once when they showed up for her birthday.”

“Will they be good to her?”

“Yeah, they’re good people. Lori mostly refused to let them see her after Pete died. That’s the only reason she doesn’t know them.” Enjolras finally asks the question he’s been wondering since he saw how Annabelle reacted to Grantaire.

“Would you like to try and keep her?” Grantaire waits so long to answer that Enjolras thinks he’s being ignored.

“I’d like to, but I can’t give her what they can. I’m pretty much never home. I’m a porn star. I make enough money, but I can’t give her a stable life. She deserves that. She deserves all the opportunities in the world. The Harrises can give her that.”

“You’d have to change some things, sure, but it isn’t impossible if it’s what you want.”

“I’m not going to fight them for her. She doesn’t need that. They’re the ones most suited, and there’s no way I’m going to fight with them in court for custody. She’s been through enough, E.”

They arrive home around two A.M., and Grantaire carries her into his room and tucks her in. She barely even opens her eyes. Grantaire changes into sweats while Enjolras hovers awkwardly in the doorway.

“I guess I’ll just go home. I’ll come by in the morning if you want.”

“Okay.” Grantaire follows him out of the bedroom and over to the front door. They stare at each other for a few seconds before Grantaire lets out a choked sob and wraps his arms around Enjolras, collapsing into his chest.

“I’m sorry everything about me is so fucked up. Thank you for being with me tonight. I don’t think I could’ve handled it on my own.”

“You could have. You don’t give yourself enough credit, but I will be here for you anytime you need me. And you’re not fucked up. That little girl in there is better off for having you in her life, and so am I. I love you, Grantaire.”

Grantaire pulls back and dries his face with his t-shirt.

“Uncle R?” Annabelle’s small voice asks. Grantaire turns and smiles at Annabelle.

“What are you doing out of bed, little B? It’s very late.”

“Can I sleep with you? Is E staying?”

Grantaire looks back at Enjolras with his brows raised.

“Do you want me to stay with you guys?” Enjolras asks her.

“Yeah, you’re good. I can tell,” she says and smiles shyly at him. He smiles back without even thinking about it.

“Go on back to bed, honey, and we’ll be there in a minute,” Grantaire tells her. She disappears back down the hall dragging Bunny behind her.

“Are you okay with this? I know it’s not exactly what we had planned for tonight.” Enjolras rolls his eyes and gently shoves Grantaire toward his bedroom.

“It’s perfectly fine. I like seeing you with her. It’s adorable.”

“I am anything but adorable, I’ll have you know, Sir.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re an oversized teddy bear.”

“You’re going to pay for that,” Grantaire threatens, crawling into bed beside Annabelle. He cuddles her to his chest, and she nuzzles her face into him. Enjolras takes a minute to look at his boyfriend with all the knowledge he was oblivious to before tonight. He admires him even more now, knowing everything he overcame to become the man he is today. “What are you waiting for, E?”

Enjolras climbs in bed and settles against Grantaire, sliding an arm across his stomach. A tiny hand is placed atop his and a sigh escapes Annabelle’s mouth before her breathing evens out.

Enjolras doesn’t like children much, but this one might be the exception. He closes his eyes, and he’s gone in seconds.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, guys. I hope I didn't bring down your day too much. There will be more happy stuff with these two soon. I'm already working on something. :)
> 
> My tumblr can be found [here](http://www.agentxinfinity.tumblr.com).


End file.
